Discover a world of flavour in our simple but delicious kidney-friendly recipes, which are low in sodium, potassium and phosphorus and can be enjoyed by everyone! The cookbook series Spice it up! was originally created for dialysis patients. All recipes have been analyzed by our team of licensed renal dietitians. We’d love you to

Have you tried our flank steak recipe? Try out rubs as a simple and quick way to add flavour to your summer grilling.A spice rub may consist of ground spices, seasonings and herbs and is being rubbed on uncooked food...

Some of the earliest diet recommendations for
patients with kidney failure come from the 1940s,
before dialysis was available. These diets meant no
salt, almost no protein, and strictly limited fluids...

Salt or sodium reduction is important for all Canadians,
but it is especially critical for those who have or are
at risk for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The kidneys
play an important role in the balance between sodium
and fluids, and when the kidneys aren’t working,
this balance is disrupted...

Hot summer days are wonderful but can be very hard forpeople who must restrict their fluid intake. This article is especially for people who have to try to manage both their fluid intake and beat the heat at the same time...

Protein and the right number of calories are critical to good nutrition. Calories provide energy to keep you going, and the right proteins help you fight infections, build muscles, produce hormones and repair tissues...

Sometimes it seems as if kidney patients need to be detectives when it comes to reading labels. A quick glance at a Nutrition Facts table gives you an idea of sodium content but won’t give you enough information when it comes to phosphorus (or phosphate). Food manufacturers are not required to list the amount of phosphorus in foods on food labels...

Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or the insulin that is produced cannot be used properly (Type 2 diabetes).Type 2 diabetes is much more common, accounting for 90% of all cases of diabetes.The World Health Organization considers diabetes to be a global epidemic that stems from less physical activity and a rise in obesity....

It is not uncommon for people with kidney disease to need
to take several medications every day, and in fact, on average,
they may require 8 to 12 different medications. Often,
this is because in addition to kidney disease, they have other
medical conditions, and may be treated by more than one
physician...

University of California, San Francisco, researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, which they say could one day eliminate the need for dialysis. The device includes thousands of microscopic filters as well as a bioreactor to mimic the metabolic and water-balancing roles of a real kidney. It is being developed in a collaborative effort by engineers...

When kidney patients begin to look at treatment options they have a lot of choices. While not all treatment options are right for everyone, choices include transplantation, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. If patients choose dialysis as their form of treatment, they next need to consider if they want to receive these treatments in a dialysis facility or at home. Although home dialysis regimens are considered "self-care" procedures that can be preformed fairly independently, patients often need the help and support of family members or friends...

François-René Dussaultmay look like a regular middle-aged male, but there’s a lot that’s extraordinary about him. It’s not just that he’s a thriving lawyer who succeeded in having Ottawa City Hall agree on a tax credit when his home hemodialysis treatment made his water and sewer bills skyrocket. And it’s not just that he’s living well with an hereditary form of kidney disease, Alport Syndrome, that caused both his kidneys to fail a decade ago. It’s that his kidneys may have failed – but his stamina and vision haven’t...

Kidneys are the master chemists of the body. They produce vital hormones that help regulate blood pressure and control mineral levels that keep bones healthy.They also clear your system of toxins such as the excess of medications or the waste product of muscle activity known as creatinine. Proactive management of kidney disease can make all the difference to one's health and quality of life. Making the right food choices is part of that critical difference....

“Spice it up! truly takes the boredom out of kidney disease recipes. I have been trying every dialysis diet cookbook on the English speaking planet and have not found anything as fun, inspiring and tasty!”Marie-Jo, Ottawa, Ontario

“When my renal team told me that I have to follow a “renal dialysis diet”, I said to myself “good-bye to great food and welcome to boredom”. Now I know that it is really possible to make my diet both tasty and renal healthy. Spice it up! opened my eyes to cooking both, renal-friendly and tasty!”Gregory, Victoria, British-Columbia

Comfort and Joy Without Regrets!
The Holiday season should be an enjoyable time for most people. But for those of us with kidney disease, it can be very difficult, considering all of the food and drink temptations available at that time of the year!

Pass on the potatoes: Surviving the holidays on a low-potassium diet!
Many kidney patients must follow a low-potassium diet, and this is especially difficult over the holidays. If you've been told you need to limit your potassium, you might find the holiday season a difficult time....

Time to take a break from home cooking?
Dining away from home should be fun, but restaurant menus rarely list the ingredients contained in their food items, making it a challenge for people who have to follow special diets...